Fresh from Wrexham

I was lucky to be chosen to exhibit one of my pieces in the show chosen for Oriel Wrexham gallery. I was really pleased with how the gallery had exhibited my work - which as you can see is a long tall hanging which trails onto the floor.
My screenprinted paper hanging was hung next to my friend Jude Hill-Davies' exciting installation. You can find more of her work along with some of mine here.

Degree Show Exhibition

This week is the last week that our degree show exhibition is on view at North Wales School of Art & Design until the 26th June.

I was very lucky (or not!) to be given two spaces for my degree show one was a lovely contained project space where I had already tried out some of my work earlier on in the year. I have been exploring the idea of memory in my work throughout my degree and especially memories of places that I have visited. This project space was ideal for my work revolving around the theme of Venice:

The second allocated area was my own studio space which I already felt comfortable with. I decided to contrast the mainly printed media in the other space with paintings that are based upon reflections I discovered in Birmingham City Centre:

I really enjoyed making these paintings which were oil and acrylic on board. Although they are 2D they appear quite textured and almost like slate. Making these has afforded me lots of new techniques and ideas and I am looking forward to trying these out.

Beth Fletcher, Gateway Gallery3

At Gateway Gallery3 in Shrewsbury this month and next is Shropshire artist Beth Fletcher. If you haven't seem Beth's landscape paintings before then you really should come and see this exhibition which is on until the 13th July.

Victoria Hilton, The Hills Studios

My friend, artist Victoria Hilton, invited me to see her paintings at The Hills Studios near Market Drayton. It has been a year since I last viewed her work and these 'Painted Reliefs' of hers were stunning and well presented amongst the rustic buildings:

More of Victoria's work will be exhibited at Gateway Gallery3 during July and August.
The upstairs gallery was just as lovely and inviting:

I was also very pleased to see paintings by Midge Naylor whose work has already been recommended to me:

Midge also had some of her prints on display, which were mainly collagraphs. I was especially taken with these and their subtle handling of colour and texture.
At the far end of the gallery was work by the multitalented Monica Grohman who specialises in ceramics and mixed media paintings. Also the unusual and intriguing sculptures of Neil Wood in the corner:

Janet Creed's ceramics were also a delight with their 'soft tactile qualities '. Through the window you can see a lovely view out to the countryside surrouding the Hill Studios:


For a full list of all the artists visit the website here.
Unfortunately if you wish to visit there is only one day left to do so - Saturday 6th June. However, I will keep you posted on further events held at The Hills Studio.

Degree Show, Summer Exhibition

This is the reason for my lack of blog posts. I have been preparing for my end of Degree Show at North Wales School of Art & Design. I think many of us have had little sleep over the past few weeks! The first and second years have been brilliant in helping us to prepare for the show: filling in, painting walls, scrubbing and cleaning floors. I think all of us could graduate as painters and decorators! I think it is very exciting now that everything is ready and quite sad for us all to have a parting of the ways.

It is the Private View tomorrow night, Friday 29th May and the show is open weekdays 1st - 26th June.

'Reflecting Winter and Spring'

This screenprint onto aluminium was inspired again by a little waterfall in the village of Llanarmon DC. It is exhibited in an outside exhibition at the village until 25th May. Last year I exhibited a similar piece, however this year the work fits into the theme of the exhibition which is 'Time & Place'. Earlier in the year the small waterfall was frozen and the icicles hanging from the rocks in amongst the beautiful green moss were really inspiring:

I really enjoyed making this work (taking my mind off the stress for our final degree show at university!) I felt that the colours and line worked really well so next it will be printed onto paper so that I can have a print of it on the wall at home. As the icicles are printed in white I cannot print it onto white paper so will have to choose another colour; what do you suggest?

New Painting

This journal has been neglected lately for a couple of reasons - one my camera was stolen so I could not take any photos and the other I have been rather busy working towards my final degree show which is at the end of May. Decided to work much bigger than I normally do and started working on a canvas that will measure 168cm x 120cm. Above are the base layers on the canvas and below showing the scale I am working on:

One of the media I really enjoy is screenprinting so decided to screenprint my Venetian Windows onto the canvas. This was quite a challenge because of the size of the screenprint.




I took over the print room and the floor in order to try out my design on the canvas:

After printing the canvas was back up in my studio space:

Then I stretched the canvas onto a large frame and tried it out in one of the project spaces at college to see how it would look: